CHAPEL HILL - UNC is walking into ACC play with some momentum, and now comes the real test: Clemson in Death Valley.
The Tar Heels are 2-0 after beating TCU and ETSU, giving second-year coach Bill Belichick a 2-0 start for the first time since the 2019 season with the New England Patriots. Clemson, meanwhile, sits at 1-1 after a rough opener at LSU and a win over Georgia Southern that didn’t exactly leave anyone buzzing. Still, the Tigers have owned this matchup, winning seven straight, and UNC hasn’t won at Clemson since 2001.
Kickoff is set for Noon ET at Memorial Stadium, with ESPN carrying the game. It can also be streamed on Fubo, which offers a free trial for new subscribers.
UNC’s injury picture will come into focus later in the week. The Tar Heels will get their first ACC availability report on Thursday, Sept. 17, and the final one arrives two hours before kickoff.
Defensive lineman Melkart Abou Jaoude had a cast on his right hand against ETSU, but Belichick said he is “day to day.” UNC was also missing tight ends Jaxxon Warren and Jordan Washington.
The biggest question is simple: is UNC really improved, or are the first two games just the warm-up act? The Tar Heels didn’t beat themselves against TCU in Ireland and handled ETSU at home, but Clemson on the road is a different animal. Death Valley has been a problem for UNC for a long time, and if the Tar Heels want to change the conversation around this team, this is the kind of game that can do it.
The matchup to watch starts with Clemson’s quarterback situation. The Tigers are dealing with uncertainty there, whether it’s veteran Christopher Vizzina or freshman Tait Reynolds.
Clemson still has dangerous weapons at receiver in TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr., but UNC’s front has been disruptive through two games. Xavier Lewis and Jaylen Harvey have the kind of pressure ability that can make an offense uncomfortable fast.
If the Tar Heels are going to pull this off, their defense is the reason.
Belichick is scheduled to meet with reporters at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14, at the Kenan Football Center to preview the game.
Prediction: UNC 22, Clemson 19
UNC is 7-20 at Clemson and hasn’t won there since 2001, while Clemson has taken the last seven meetings. But Swinney’s current team has already shown cracks, and UNC has looked sharper and more defined than it did a year ago.
At some point, the streak has to end. Saturday feels like a fair place to start.
In Other News...
Bill Belichicks UNC Defense Is Becoming The Teams Early Story
North Carolinas win over ETSU was never really in doubt, and the biggest reason was the same one that has started to define the Tar Heels early on: a defense that keeps tightening its grip as the season opens. UNC rolled to a 35-3 victory while allowing ETSU to break through only late, after the Tar Heels had strung together 15 opposing possessions without giving up a score. It was another step forward for a unit that looked sharp again after its strong outing against TCU.
The pressure came from everywhere for Bill Belichicks group, which finished with seven sacks and forced multiple turnovers even without top defensive player Melkhart Abou Jaoude available. That kind of depth matters in September, especially when a defense is already showing the ability to carry stretches of a game on its own. For North Carolina, the bigger question now is not whether the defense has arrived, but how far this early momentum can go. [Read more 🡒]
Belichicks UNC Rotation Just Sent An Early Message Before Conference Play
North Carolinas 35-3 win over East Tennessee State pushed the Tar Heels to 2-0, but the more revealing part of the afternoon came in how Bill Belichick chose to use his roster. After Kekahunas turnover, Sadler saw a bigger role at slot receiver, while the backfield was spread more evenly between Demon June, Benjamin Hall and Jaylen McGill, giving the offense a more deliberate, rotating feel as conference play gets closer.
On the other side of the ball, North Carolina also took a cautious approach with injured pass rusher Abou Jaoude, sitting him out as a precaution. His status moving forward is still uncertain, which leaves a small but meaningful question hanging over a defense that has already shown it will manage personnel as carefully as results. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Basketball Just Showed Why This Program Means More Than Wins
Carmichael Arena turned into more than a basketball venue this weekend as North Carolina hosted the fifth annual Dribble for Victory Over Cancer, an event that brought together the UNC mens and womens teams, other athletic programs and community members in support of cancer research. The day mixed basketball with purpose, starting with a session on the court before shifting into a one-mile walk around campus, all while coaches Courtney Banghart and Michael Malone welcomed a crowd united by the cause.
The event raised more than $143,000, but the number only tells part of the story. Several players shared personal connections to cancer, underscoring why the gathering has become such a meaningful annual tradition for the program and the wider UNC community, with the events emotional weight carrying well beyond the floor at Carmichael. [Read more 🡒]